Original research

What time do US churches meet?

We normalized 152,989 published service records from 89,609 US churches to answer a question no public dataset covers: when does America actually go to church?

Last updated 2026-07-31 · All rights reserved. Republication, redistribution or commercial use requires prior written permission. · Methodology · Get the data

10:00 AM
Most common start time
21,904 churches (26.3%)
60.5%
Have begun by 10 AM
98.0% by 11 AM
4,739
Hold Wednesday services
The midweek gathering, quantified
1,707
Publish Spanish services
A floor, not a count — see methodology

Key findings

  • 10:00 AM is the single most common time for a US church to begin its first Sunday service — 21,904 churches, or 26.3% of the 83,426 with published times.
  • The American Sunday morning is remarkably compressed: 98.0% of churches have started by 11 AM, and only 1.2% begin after noon.
  • Denomination predicts start time more than geography does. Baptist churches most commonly begin at 11:00 AM, while Episcopal churches most commonly begin at 8:00 AM.
  • The "11 AM belt" is real: 10 states have 11:00 AM as their most common start time, concentrated in the South — Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi.
  • 4,739 churches publish a Wednesday worship gathering and 6,754 publish a Saturday one — the latter split between Adventist Sabbath worship and Catholic vigil Masses.

When services start

Each church is counted once, at the start time of its earliest Sunday worship service. Churches running multiple services are therefore represented by their first, not their largest.

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,0006:00 AM–6:04 AM — 22 churches6:15 AM–6:19 AM — 1 churches6:30 AM–6:34 AM — 58 churches6:35 AM–6:39 AM — 1 churches6:45 AM–6:49 AM — 5 churches7:00 AM–7:04 AM — 410 churches7:05 AM–7:09 AM — 2 churches7:10 AM–7:14 AM — 1 churches7:15 AM–7:19 AM — 50 churches7:20 AM–7:24 AM — 1 churches7:25 AM–7:29 AM — 5 churches7:30 AM–7:34 AM — 763 churches7:40 AM–7:44 AM — 2 churches7:45 AM–7:49 AM — 128 churches7:50 AM–7:54 AM — 4 churches7:55 AM–7:59 AM — 2 churches8:00 AM–8:04 AM — 3,890 churches8:05 AM–8:09 AM — 5 churches8:10 AM–8:14 AM — 14 churches8:15 AM–8:19 AM — 516 churches8:20 AM–8:24 AM — 9 churches8:25 AM–8:29 AM — 12 churches8:30 AM–8:34 AM — 3,238 churches8:35 AM–8:39 AM — 4 churches8:40 AM–8:44 AM — 15 churches8:45 AM–8:49 AM — 542 churches8:50 AM–8:54 AM — 24 churches8:55 AM–8:59 AM — 13 churches9:00 AM–9:04 AM — 12,357 churches12,3579:05 AM–9:09 AM — 7 churches9:10 AM–9:14 AM — 9 churches9:15 AM–9:19 AM — 654 churches9:20 AM–9:24 AM — 12 churches9:25 AM–9:29 AM — 10 churches9:30 AM–9:34 AM — 5,267 churches9:35 AM–9:39 AM — 4 churches9:40 AM–9:44 AM — 5 churches9:45 AM–9:49 AM — 452 churches9:50 AM–9:54 AM — 38 churches9:55 AM–9:59 AM — 15 churches10:00 AM–10:04 AM — 21,912 churches21,91210:05 AM–10:09 AM — 12 churches10:10 AM–10:14 AM — 63 churches10:15 AM–10:19 AM — 1,276 churches10:20 AM–10:24 AM — 52 churches10:25 AM–10:29 AM — 49 churches10:30 AM–10:34 AM — 11,988 churches10:35 AM–10:39 AM — 28 churches10:40 AM–10:44 AM — 105 churches10:45 AM–10:49 AM — 2,412 churches10:50 AM–10:54 AM — 110 churches10:55 AM–10:59 AM — 54 churches11:00 AM–11:04 AM — 15,136 churches15,13611:05 AM–11:09 AM — 9 churches11:10 AM–11:14 AM — 10 churches11:15 AM–11:19 AM — 180 churches11:20 AM–11:24 AM — 6 churches11:25 AM–11:29 AM — 3 churches11:30 AM–11:34 AM — 377 churches11:40 AM–11:44 AM — 3 churches11:45 AM–11:49 AM — 38 churches11:55 AM–11:59 AM — 1 churches12:00 PM–12:04 PM — 194 churches12:05 PM–12:09 PM — 3 churches12:10 PM–12:14 PM — 1 churches12:15 PM–12:19 PM — 4 churches12:20 PM–12:24 PM — 1 churches12:25 PM–12:29 PM — 1 churches12:30 PM–12:34 PM — 64 churches12:45 PM–12:49 PM — 3 churches12:50 PM–12:54 PM — 1 churches12:55 PM–12:59 PM — 1 churches1:00 PM–1:04 PM — 119 churches1:15 PM–1:19 PM — 5 churches1:30 PM–1:34 PM — 42 churches6 AM7 AM8 AM9 AM10 AM11 AM12 PM1 PM2 PM
First Sunday service start time, 6:00 AM–2:00 PM, in 5-minute buckets — so a bar may sit a few churches above the exact time it is labelled with. A further 596 churches (0.7%) begin outside this window, almost all of them in the evening. Full figures in the table below.

Most common start times

Start timeChurchesShareCumulative by this time
10:00 AM21,90426.3%60.5%
11:00 AM15,13518.1%98.0%
9:00 AM12,35114.8%26.5%
10:30 AM11,98314.4%76.6%
9:30 AM5,2676.3%33.6%
8:00 AM3,8904.7%6.4%
8:30 AM3,2363.9%11.0%
10:45 AM2,4112.9%79.7%
10:15 AM1,2761.5%62.1%
7:30 AM7630.9%1.6%
9:15 AM6540.8%27.3%
8:45 AM5410.7%11.6%
8:15 AM5160.6%7.1%
9:45 AM4520.5%34.2%
7:00 AM4100.5%0.6%

Service times by state

Most of the country converges on 10:00 AM. A contiguous band of Southern states holds to the traditional 11:00 AM hour — one of the clearest regional patterns in the data.

AKAlaska — most common start 11:00 AM (315 churches)MEMaine — most common start 10:00 AM (463 churches)VTVermont — most common start 10:00 AM (154 churches)NHNew Hampshire — most common start 10:00 AM (406 churches)WAWashington — most common start 10:00 AM (1,630 churches)MTMontana — most common start 10:00 AM (512 churches)NDNorth Dakota — most common start 10:00 AM (418 churches)MNMinnesota — most common start 10:00 AM (1,745 churches)WIWisconsin — most common start 9:00 AM (1,908 churches)MIMichigan — most common start 10:00 AM (3,367 churches)NYNew York — most common start 10:00 AM (4,478 churches)MAMassachusetts — most common start 10:00 AM (1,253 churches)CTConnecticut — most common start 10:00 AM (773 churches)RIRhode Island — most common start 10:00 AM (402 churches)OROregon — most common start 10:00 AM (1,273 churches)IDIdaho — most common start 10:00 AM (446 churches)WYWyoming — most common start 10:00 AM (237 churches)SDSouth Dakota — most common start 9:00 AM (516 churches)IAIowa — most common start 10:00 AM (1,541 churches)ILIllinois — most common start 10:00 AM (2,935 churches)INIndiana — most common start 10:00 AM (2,613 churches)OHOhio — most common start 10:00 AM (4,335 churches)PAPennsylvania — most common start 10:00 AM (4,394 churches)NJNew Jersey — most common start 10:00 AM (2,143 churches)CACalifornia — most common start 10:00 AM (3,952 churches)NVNevada — most common start 10:00 AM (375 churches)UTUtah — most common start 10:00 AM (390 churches)COColorado — most common start 10:00 AM (1,184 churches)NENebraska — most common start 10:00 AM (806 churches)MOMissouri — most common start 10:00 AM (2,183 churches)KYKentucky — most common start 11:00 AM (1,136 churches)WVWest Virginia — most common start 11:00 AM (958 churches)VAVirginia — most common start 11:00 AM (3,374 churches)MDMaryland — most common start 10:00 AM (1,655 churches)DEDelaware — most common start 10:00 AM (237 churches)AZArizona — most common start 10:00 AM (617 churches)NMNew Mexico — most common start 10:00 AM (668 churches)KSKansas — most common start 10:30 AM (975 churches)ARArkansas — most common start 10:30 AM (885 churches)TNTennessee — most common start 11:00 AM (3,065 churches)NCNorth Carolina — most common start 10:00 AM (1,324 churches)SCSouth Carolina — most common start 11:00 AM (2,761 churches)DCDistrict of Columbia — most common start 11:00 AM (138 churches)OKOklahoma — most common start 10:00 AM (1,906 churches)LALouisiana — most common start 11:00 AM (2,749 churches)MSMississippi — most common start 11:00 AM (2,715 churches)ALAlabama — most common start 10:30 AM (1,280 churches)GAGeorgia — most common start 11:00 AM (3,317 churches)HIHawaii — most common start 10:00 AM (376 churches)TXTexas — most common start 10:00 AM (1,769 churches)FLFlorida — most common start 10:00 AM (4,374 churches)
9:00 AM10:00 AM10:30 AM11:00 AM
Most common first Sunday service time by state. States with fewer than 50 records are omitted. Full figures in the table below.
StateMost common startMedian startChurches
Alabama10:30 AM10:00 AM1,280
Alaska11:00 AM10:30 AM315
Arizona10:00 AM10:00 AM617
Arkansas10:30 AM10:15 AM885
California10:00 AM10:00 AM3,952
Colorado10:00 AM10:00 AM1,184
Connecticut10:00 AM10:00 AM773
Delaware10:00 AM10:00 AM237
District of Columbia11:00 AM10:00 AM138
Florida10:00 AM10:00 AM4,374
Georgia11:00 AM10:30 AM3,317
Hawaii10:00 AM9:30 AM376
Idaho10:00 AM10:00 AM446
Illinois10:00 AM10:00 AM2,935
Indiana10:00 AM10:00 AM2,613
Iowa10:00 AM10:00 AM1,541
Kansas10:30 AM10:00 AM975
Kentucky11:00 AM10:30 AM1,136
Louisiana11:00 AM10:30 AM2,749
Maine10:00 AM10:00 AM463
Maryland10:00 AM10:00 AM1,655
Massachusetts10:00 AM10:00 AM1,253
Michigan10:00 AM10:00 AM3,367
Minnesota10:00 AM9:30 AM1,745
Mississippi11:00 AM11:00 AM2,715
Missouri10:00 AM10:00 AM2,183
Montana10:00 AM10:00 AM512
Nebraska10:00 AM10:00 AM806
Nevada10:00 AM10:00 AM375
New Hampshire10:00 AM10:00 AM406
New Jersey10:00 AM10:00 AM2,143
New Mexico10:00 AM10:00 AM668
New York10:00 AM10:00 AM4,478
North Carolina10:00 AM10:00 AM1,324
North Dakota10:00 AM10:00 AM418
Ohio10:00 AM10:00 AM4,335
Oklahoma10:00 AM10:18 AM1,906
Oregon10:00 AM10:00 AM1,273
Pennsylvania10:00 AM10:00 AM4,394
Rhode Island10:00 AM10:00 AM402
South Carolina11:00 AM10:30 AM2,761
South Dakota9:00 AM9:30 AM516
Tennessee11:00 AM10:30 AM3,065
Texas10:00 AM10:00 AM1,769
Utah10:00 AM10:00 AM390
Vermont10:00 AM10:00 AM154
Virginia11:00 AM10:30 AM3,374
Washington10:00 AM10:00 AM1,630
West Virginia11:00 AM10:30 AM958
Wisconsin9:00 AM9:30 AM1,908
Wyoming10:00 AM10:00 AM237

Service times by denomination

Liturgical traditions start earliest — Episcopal, Catholic and Lutheran congregations cluster in the 8–9 AM range, reflecting multiple morning Masses and services. Baptist churches hold the traditional 11 AM hour more than any other large tradition. Denominations with fewer than 200 qualifying churches are omitted.

Episcopal
8:00 AM
Methodist
9:00 AM
Catholic
9:00 AM
Lutheran
9:00 AM
Christian Reformed
9:30 AM
Non-denominational
10:00 AM
Presbyterian
10:00 AM
Church of Christ
10:00 AM
Christian
10:00 AM
Assemblies of God
10:00 AM
Bible
10:00 AM
Nazarene
10:00 AM
United Church of Christ
10:00 AM
Orthodox
10:00 AM
Congregational
10:00 AM
Non-Denominational
10:00 AM
Reformed
10:00 AM
Anglican
10:00 AM
Covenant
10:00 AM
Evangelical Covenant
10:00 AM
Evangelical Free
10:00 AM
Christian Science
10:00 AM
Calvary Chapel
10:00 AM
Mennonite
10:00 AM
Evangelical
10:00 AM
Brethren
10:00 AM
Unitarian Universalist
10:00 AM
Wesleyan
10:00 AM
Christian & Missionary Alliance
10:00 AM
Baptist
11:00 AM
Church of God
11:00 AM
Pentecostal
11:00 AM
Apostolic
11:00 AM
AME
11:00 AM
Church of God in Christ
11:00 AM
7 AM8 AM9 AM10 AM11 AM12 PM
Most common first Sunday service time by denomination, earliest to latest. Denominations with fewer than 200 qualifying churches are omitted. Exact figures, including medians, in the table below.
DenominationMost common startMedian startChurches
Baptist11:00 AM10:30 AM19,762
Methodist9:00 AM10:00 AM7,404
Catholic9:00 AM9:00 AM6,212
Lutheran9:00 AM9:30 AM5,313
Non-denominational10:00 AM10:00 AM4,754
Presbyterian10:00 AM10:00 AM4,364
Church of Christ10:00 AM10:00 AM3,344
Christian10:00 AM10:00 AM3,204
Episcopal8:00 AM9:15 AM2,778
Assemblies of God10:00 AM10:00 AM1,804
Church of God11:00 AM10:30 AM1,281
Pentecostal11:00 AM10:30 AM1,029
Bible10:00 AM10:00 AM945
Nazarene10:00 AM10:00 AM931
Apostolic11:00 AM11:00 AM811
United Church of Christ10:00 AM10:00 AM645
Orthodox10:00 AM9:30 AM601
Congregational10:00 AM10:00 AM510
Non-Denominational10:00 AM10:00 AM412
AME11:00 AM11:00 AM405
Reformed10:00 AM10:00 AM384
Church of God in Christ11:00 AM11:00 AM324
Anglican10:00 AM10:00 AM321
Covenant10:00 AM10:00 AM308
Evangelical Covenant10:00 AM10:00 AM276
Evangelical Free10:00 AM10:00 AM257
Christian Science10:00 AM10:00 AM254
Calvary Chapel10:00 AM10:00 AM243
Mennonite10:00 AM10:00 AM236
Evangelical10:00 AM10:00 AM232
Brethren10:00 AM10:00 AM230
Christian Reformed9:30 AM9:30 AM215
Unitarian Universalist10:00 AM10:30 AM211
Wesleyan10:00 AM10:00 AM211
Christian & Missionary Alliance10:00 AM10:00 AM210

Which days churches gather

Counts are churches publishing at least one worship gathering on that day, so a church with both Sunday and Wednesday services appears twice.

Sunday
85,725
Saturday
6,754
Wednesday
4,739
Friday
885
Thursday
851
Tuesday
482
Monday
297
Churches publishing at least one worship gathering on each day.
DayChurches
Sunday85,725
Saturday6,754
Wednesday4,739
Friday885
Thursday851
Tuesday482
Monday297

Services by language

These counts capture only churches that name the language in the service title (“Spanish Mass”, “Korean Worship”). Every figure here is a floor, not a total — most English-language services are simply unlabelled, and many non-English services will be too.

Spanish
1,707
English
1,498
Bilingual
181
Chinese
143
Latin
78
Korean
71
Portuguese
62
Polish
60
Vietnamese
59
Haitian Creole
39
American Sign Language
32
French
23
Arabic
22
Ukrainian
20
Tagalog
20
Japanese
19
Russian
12
German
12
Italian
9
Pacific Islander
7
Amharic
4
Hmong
4
Minimum number of churches publishing a service in each language.
LanguageChurches (minimum)
Spanish1,707
English1,498
Bilingual181
Chinese143
Latin78
Korean71
Portuguese62
Polish60
Vietnamese59
Haitian Creole39
American Sign Language32
French23
Arabic22
Ukrainian20
Tagalog20
Japanese19
Russian12
German12
Italian9
Pacific Islander7
Amharic4
Hmong4

What else churches gather for

Gathering typeChurchesRecords
Worship service82,457112,086
Mass4,26313,714
Sunday school9,2839,372
Bible study5,7706,613
Liturgy / rite2,4554,076
Other2,4103,384
Prayer2,2712,431
Youth / children631671
Small group623642

Methodology

Coverage. 83,426 of 289,395 churches in our directory (28.8%) publish a Sunday service time we could parse. These figures describe churches that publish their service times, not a census of all US congregations.

Source

Service schedules published by churches themselves, collected across 89,609 congregations and flattened into 152,989 individual service records.

What counts as a worship service

Worship services, Catholic Mass, Divine Liturgy, Holy Eucharist and LDS Sacrament Meeting all count as principal gatherings. Excluding Mass and Liturgy — as a naive keyword filter on “worship” would — drops essentially every Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and LDS congregation and produces a Protestant-only figure mislabelled as national. Sunday school, Bible study, prayer meetings, small groups and youth gatherings are tracked separately and excluded from start-time figures.

How each church is counted

One row per church, using its earliest Sunday worship service with a parseable time, so that multi-service megachurches do not outweigh single-service congregations. This means the figures describe when churches begin, not when their best-attended service runs.

Classification

Service names were classified by a published, deterministic rule set — ordered regular expressions, no machine learning — so every figure is reproducible and auditable. 97.7% of service records matched a category; 98.2% of times parsed cleanly. Unparseable placeholder times (“Varies”, “TBD”) are excluded rather than guessed. Monthly and holiday entries (“First Sunday”, “Christmas Eve”) are excluded from weekly counts.

Known limitations

  • Churches that publish service times skew toward those with websites, which skews toward larger and better-resourced congregations.
  • Language figures are floors, not totals — they only capture services that name their language.
  • Anglican “Morning Prayer” and “Evening Prayer” are classified as prayer offices and excluded from worship start times, though they are occasionally a parish’s principal Sunday service.
  • Denomination labels are self-reported and unnormalized in the source data.

Get the data

Every figure on this page, plus the full cross-tabulations — every state × start time and denomination × start time cell — for running your own analysis. Provided for reference use only; see terms of use below.

Get the full dataset

3,233 rows of cross-tabulated data — every state × start time, every denomination × start time, gathering types by day, and service languages by state. All rights reserved — reference use only.

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Terms of use & citation

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Psalmlog Church Finder. "What Time Do US Churches Meet? Service Time Data for 83,426 Churches."
Updated 2026-07-31. https://churches.psalmlog.com/us-church-stats/service-times

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